Day 21: Turkey and Red Pepper Panini

Paul had CPR training until 6:30, so I knew I wouldn't get a chance to make an elaborate meal with both kids running around. This was in my WW: Simply Delicious cookbook and sounded intriguing to me. Plus, I had fresh basil in the fridge from a different recipe and didn't want to end up throwing it out.

My mom gave us a panini maker she got for Christmas. It still had the price tag on it...$15 from Walgreen's. The first time I used it I didn't expect much from it, but to my amazement it cooked a sandwich pretty damn well. So, knowing that I could use this machine again, I happily bought the necessary ingredients for this recipe.

Turkey and Red Pepper Panini( 1 full sandwich)
2 oz(4inch) piece of french bread or Semolina bread
1/3 cup jarred roasted red peppers, sliced
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 large basil leaves
3 slices(1 oz) low fat deli turkey
1/4 cup part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Step 1: Slice bread lengthwise almost all the way through

Step 2: Lay red pepper on bottom half. Drizzle with olive oil and top with basil, turkey and cheese.

Step 3: Gently flatten sandwich with palm of your hand(aka fold the top half on top of the bottom half)

Step 4: Use a panini maker to grill sandwich until crispy. If you do not have a panini maker, spray a nonstick pan and heat to med-high. Place the sandwich in pan. Use a heavy pan to place on top of sandwich. Flip sandwich over after 2-3 minutes and replace heavy pan on top of sandwich for another 2-3 minutes.

Calories: 148(1/2 sandwich) WW: 3 points

Kitchen Play by Play: It took a few tries to figure out what they were talking about with the bread. I could not visualize the cutting. I figured it out after butchering almost half the loaf of Three Cheese Semolina Bread. The rest was super easy and self explanatory. This meal was prepped and on the table in 8 minutes. I did not have basil on mine, and I used extra cheese on both of ours. I had hummus with mine, and Paul had baked chips with his.

The Finished Product
The Verdict:
Nicole: I thought it was good. Clearly, I had a full sandwich. Who can eat just a half for dinner? I, personally, would have liked a sauce of some sort. Maybe a roasted red pepper aioli. I really enjoyed the bread and the melted cheese. It was a nice change from the regular turkey sandwich. I give it a 3.5. A sauce would elevate it to a strong 4.

Paul- gives it a 3.5. "Good flavor, but a little too small for a sandwich."

Austin-didn't eat it. He had an impromptu date with Grandma Cathi at the Costco. They ate there. He told grandma, " Maybe I'll have a hot dog and a slice of pizza."

Day 20: Yankee Pot Roast(Crock Pot)

I had coffee with the Bon and Laura(Poor Katie got the stomach flu) today at 2pm, so I knew I wouldn't be home in time to make dinner and planned this recipe for today. I was bummed in the morning when the sun was shining because it wasn't a pot roast day, but thanks to screwy Illinois weather, by dinnertime it was cloudy and rainy...PERFECT pot roast weather. This recipe is from Dianna. It actually suggests you cook in steps in a dutch oven on the stove, but Dianna said that she has always made it in the crock pot. I'm all about easy and not having the stove on all day, so I took her advice and hunted down my crock pot.

Yankee Pot Roast(serves 8)
2 1/2 lbs boneless bottom round roast, trimmed
2 large onions, sliced
1 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 3/4 lbs red potatoes, quartered
1 lb baby carrots
salt/pepper

Step 1: Put all ingredients in crock pot

Step 2: Cook on low for 8 hrs

Calories: 300 WW: 6 points

Kitchen Play by Play: Five minutes to prep the meat and veggies. I used balsamic vinegar, a 1 1/2 lb roast and only a very small pinch of thyme because we discovered we don't like it 3 recipes ago. I stirred it twice throughout the cooking process. THE END. I served it with biscuits.

The Finished Product The Verdict:
Nicole: Great flavor. I loved the baby carrots. They got super tender and sweet. I thought the meat was flavorful, but a tad dry. There was a ton of liquid in the pot, so I can't imagine how it could be dry. I think I may have trimmed a little too much fat off the meat. It had like no white on it when I put it in. I'll try to keep a little on next time and see if that makes a difference. I give it a 4.5 due to taste and sheer easiness.

Paul- " Good Flavor, a little dry, but putting all the ingredients together lands it a 4."

Austin- Big fan of the carrots. Ate a little meat, but for him tonight the biscuits is where it was at.

Day 19: Banana Raisin Bread Pudding

This was a last minute decision. I forgot that we had Paul's department party in the evening and that we would not be home for dinner, so I ran out and bought the fix ins to eat this for brunch.

Paul got home from Saturday morning golf as I was taking this out of the oven and the bacon was coming off the griddle. What an awesome way to start a Saturday!

Banana Raisin Bread Pudding(serves 6)
2 cups 1% milk1 cup fat free half and half
3 large eggs
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 16oz loaf of Cinnamon raisin bread, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium banana, sliced
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Step 1: Whisk together milk, half and half, eggs, egg whites,vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl until well blended.

Step 2: Stir in bread and banana and let soak 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Spoon into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Step 4: Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Calories 336 WW: 7 points

Kitchen Play by Play: Super easy. I just made a few changes. Paul doesn't like raisins, so I bought cinnamon and brown sugar bread instead. I didn't have nutmeg, so I used a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to get some of the nutty flavor. It was ready and puffy after an hour; it sank as soon as I got it on the counter(I think it is supposed too). I served it with more sliced banana, bacon and watermelon. I also put syrup on the table.

The Finished Product
The Verdict:
Nicole: Pretty good. Very similar to a french toast casserole. I used syrup and it didn't need it at all. I thought I'd want more banana in it but I was wrong. Plenty of banana. It was a nice addition to a Sunday brunch. I give it a 3.5

Paul-gives it a 3.86. "Tasty. Didn't really need syrup. Could use a little something"

Austin-ate some of it but was more focused on the watermelon and side of banana.

Day 18: Turkey and Vegetable Chili

This recipe is from Dianna, and one that I have had several times at her house. I really enjoy it when she makes it, so I was hoping that I wouldn't screw it up. It's amazing that I eat it though because I do not like zucchini at all. I think that squash and zucchini are pointless vegetables. They are just mushy when cooked and really have no flavor by themselves so why bother? I think I tolerate it in the chili because it takes on the flavor of the spices and sauce. The mush is hidden by the snap of the kidney beans. Truthfully, the kidney beans are not part of the original recipe. Dianna uses them instead of eggplant(which belongs in the above category), and I followed her lead especially since Austin would eat kidney beans straight from the can if given the chance.

Calories: 231 WW: 4 points

Turkey and Vegetable Chili(serves 6)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 small eggplant, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 can dark red kidney beans(optional)

Step 1: Heat oil in large nonstick Sauce pan and add turkey until browned.

Step 2: Add garlic, onion and jalapeno pepper. Cook stirring frequently until softened and fragrant(about 4 minutes)

Step 3: Add all remaining ingredients(veggies and seasonings). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover stirring occasionally until veggies are well softened(about 45 minutes).

Kitchen Play by Play: I was able to make this in 15 minutes with both kids playing in the kitchen. That statement alone explains how easy and brainless this recipe is. The recipe says 2 cloves of garlic, but really it means 5 cloves :). Once I saw how much one diced zucchini produced I decided to stop there. I need to slowly integrate it into my palate. Plus, Paul shares my theory on zucchini and squash so I wasn't sure how he'd take the news about the secret ingredient. As I stated above, no eggplant for us...kidney beans all the way. I rinsed them before dumping them into the pot. I went with 2 teaspoons of chili powder, but actually measured out all the other spices perfectly. I let it simmer for 45 minutes and sit on the stove for another 10 while I put Peyton to sleep. I topped our bowls with reduced fat Mexican cheese and served the chili with saltine crackers.

The finished product
The Verdict:
Nicole- I really enjoy it, zuchani and all. It is VERY different from my chili recipe, and I like it that way. I called this "Summer Chili." It's very light and has a great fresh taste to it. The hint of chili powder is there, but it is not the star of the show like it is in my recipe. Still not ready to include the eggplant, but may be able to add the second zuchani next time. I give it a 4.5.

Paul-As he was bringing his bowl to the table, he asked," what's that?" while pointing at a piece of zucchini. I replied, "a vegetable." He countered, "Is that zucchini?" I said, "Maybe." So what did he say about it? He gives it a 4. "Light chili, good flavor, but could use a little more spice." He was surprised to hear that there was a jalapeno pepper in it. He couldn't taste it at all.

Austin- ate the entire bowl once he crushed about 5 crackers on top of it.

Day 17: Chicken Piccata

Just felt like chicken tonight and my WW:Take Out Tonight cookbook has yet to disappoint. End of story :0

Chicken Piccata
2 Tablespoons course grain Dijon mustard
1 large egg
1/2 Italian Seasoned dried breadcrumbs
4 boneless, skinless Chicken breasts, lightly pounded
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dry vermouth or chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
lemon slices

Step 1: Combine mustard and egg in shallow bowl and place breadcrumbs on sheet of wax paper.

Step 2: Dip chicken in mustard mixture and then breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat and swirl in oil. Add Chicken. Cook until golden and cooked through(about 5 minutes on each side). Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Step 4:Add Lemon juice and Vermouth(chicken broth) in same skillet. Let simmer 30 seconds. Stir in parsley.

Step 5: Pour over chicken and garnish with lemon slices

Kitchen Play by Play- Those poor chicken breasts didn't see it coming. I pounded the shit out of them. There was splatter. I guess I have some pent up aggression. Other than that, prep was uneventful. Everything was really easy and went really smoothly. I used chicken broth. I was proud of myself for not feeling like I needed to keep the chicken on the stove for like 20 minutes. I learned my lesson last night with the turkey. I forgot the parsley, but since Paul and I decided it was more for color than taste, I did not bother going to the store. They call it a sauce, but it isn't. It all soaks into the chicken. There is nothing left to pour on the chicken or the noodles. The only reason I can think of for the lack of sauce is that maybe my pan was too hot and it evaporated before it really had a chance to simmer. NOTE: I just typed out the recipe. Apparently, the chicken is supposed to be removed from the pan before making the sauce. That would explain what happened to all the sauce. The chicken sucked it all up. Lesson learned. We had mini ziti and broccoli with the chicken.

The finished product

The Verdict:

Nicole- Yummy. Loved the flavor of the chicken and the light breading. It was like a lemony chicken nudie(Portillos). I didn't miss the extra sauce. I give it a strong 4.

Paul- gives it a 4. Upon first bite, Paul said, "Zingy."

Austin-"Mmm...Chicken fingers good." He asked for more and ate it all.

Day 16: Ham and Swiss Stuffed Turkey Rolls

No story. The recipe is from Dianna, and it sounded good. It also seemed relatively easy. I did need to go to the store just for Thyme though because it is not a current occupant of my spice cabinet.

Calories:146 (per roll) WW: 4 points

Ham and Swiss Stuffed Turkey Rolls

4 1/4 lb turkey breast cutlets

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices Black Forest Ham

2 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese, halved

5 tablespoons plain dried breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon reduced fat mayo

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 reduced sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon butter

Step 1: Sprinkle black pepper over cutlets. Place 1 slice of ham and half slice of cheese on top of each cutlet. Roll Jelly roll style and fasten with 2 toothpicks

Step 2: Combine breadcrumbs and thyme on wax paper

Step 3: Brush the turkey rolls with mayo and roll in breadcrumbs. Press lightly to coat

Step 4: Spray a large non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat to med-high heat. Add turkey rolls and cook until browned on all sides(about 5 minutes).

Step 5: Add wine, broth and butter to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered. Cook until the turkey is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened(about 5 more minutes).

Kitchen Play by Play: I bought the Jenny O cutlets and 7 came in the package. I had enough of everything else, so I went ahead and made all 7. Some of the cutlets fell apart when I took them out of the package so I had to do some patch work. Brushing with the mayo and rolling in the breadcrumbs presented a challenge due to the toothpicks. I tried to work around them and coat as best as I could. No huge surprise that the most stressful part of this recipe for me was the actual cooking. I must have checked to see if they were cooked 10 times. Then I was fooled by the melted cheese and thought that it was undercooked turkey, so I put them back on the stove. I decided to make tonight a mini thanksgiving and added stuffing and canned corn to the meal. Since the cutlets are so low in points and calories, there was some room for a splurge.

The finished product
The Verdict:
Nicole- There is a reason I didn't own thyme. I don't like it...at all. I also waaaaay overcooked the turkey. It was like trying to chew through leather. Probably not again. I give it a 3.

Paul-gives it a 2.75. "No thank you, thyme."

Austin- Paul mixed Austin's all together to ensure he was eating a little bit of every thing. First bite, he dug the the turkey out of his mouth and threw it on the floor. I guess he didn't like it.

Day 15: Sweet and Sour Pork

I was planning on margarita pork tonight because Jane was coming for dinner, and she loves a good margarita; but when I read the recipe again and saw the word grill, I said, "I'm out." I do not do the grill. Other than my mother, I do not know of any other woman who has permission or the will to use the grill. Frankly, it freaks me out and even though I have a gas grill I cannot figure out how to turn it on. Yes, I have a Masters degree, and I cannot figure out how to press a few buttons to make fire appear. So what?

So anyway, I needed to find a different pork recipe because the pork tenderloin was already in my fridge. I have made this recipe before and Paul really enjoyed it, so I figured that Jane would too. I actually remember going to Paul's house in high school and eating Sweet and Sour Chicken for the first time. The Abrams were a Mu Shu Pork and BBQ pork fried rice household.

Sweet and Sour Pork(serves 4)
Calories: 287 WW:6 points

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 80z can of pineapple chunks in juice, drained

Step 1: Combine pork with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Toss well to coat and set aside

Step 2: Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, vinegar, water, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce in small bowl and set aside

Step 3: Heat a large, deep skillet over med-high heat and add oil. Add pork and stir fry until almost cooked through(2-3 minutes)

Step 4: add ginger and garlic. Stir fry until fragrant(30 seconds)

Step 5: Add the pepper and pineapple and stir fry until tender crisp(about 3 minutes)

Step 6: Add the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens and pork is cooked through(1-2 minutes)

Step 7: Serve with rice if desired(not included in calorie or point total)

Kitchen Play by Play: Besides the touching of the pork, this recipe was pretty easy and uneventful. I read the recipe wrong and bought a red pepper instead of a green pepper. Who cares? I also did not use ginger because Paul and I hate it. It is soooo overpowering. I did only use 2 garlic cloves but one was on steroids. Though, the actually cooking seems complicated, it is actually very easy and takes about 10-12 minutes total. It also smells great, so you do not mind standing over the stove top the whole time. I served the pork with instant brown rice(less points) and store bought frozen egg rolls(add 3 points). We had broccoli too.

The finished product
The Verdict:Nicole- Yummy, just like the last time I made it. I don't love the peppers, but I deal with them. I do love the pineapple mixed with the sauce though. I don't know if I would go quite so healthy next time and use brown rice; it had a not so friendly after taste in my opinion. I give the overall meal a 4.

Paul- gives it a 4.25. "thought it was authentic."

Austin- ate it, but needed to be hand fed. Big day with grandma today and he had a lot to say and some sillies to get out.

Jane- gives it a 4. She thought the pork was tender, and she liked the red peppers. The only thing that could have made it better is if it would have been fried :)